Stepping into Nomads is like finding a haven of tranquillity after the bustle of King’s Parade. The shop, which has now been in business for over 30 years, is on two floors but the lower floor really is a world in itself. Afghan rugs, scarves, shawls and stoles, clothing, throws, lampshades, wooden boxes, Tibetan singing bowls, tribal artefacts, stationary and musical instruments fill the room. The range of jewellery is particularly impressive, the majority of it coming from Jaipur – the hub of the jewellery industry in India.
It all started when a young Fin saw photographs of his grandfather on a mapping expedition to Tibet and knew instantly that travel was in his blood too. Initially travelling to Afghanistan as a teenager and falling in love with the culture, the question was how could he fund further journeys? The answer – to find and buy beautiful items and bring them back to Cambridge to sell and so the seeds for Nomads were sown.
Fin continues to satisfy his wanderlust with annual trips, now mainly to India and Nepal, to discover new aspects of the cultures as well as sourcing interesting ranges for the shop. In fact all who work at Nomads love travel, which probably explains the friendly openness and enthusiasm of everyone there.
Nomads also transforms in to an atmospheric venue for evening talks and concerts including fund-raisers for the Nepal earthquake victims, details of which can be found on the Nomads Facebook page along with stories and music from around the world.